Roman Comedy L III P 4
Students in Latin III (Period 4), please add your contributions to our survey of Roman Comedy here. Put your contribution under the play title listed below. The plays of Plautus are listed first (in alphabetical order). Following these are the plays of Terence (listed in chronological order, since we have evidence for the dates of their production). Do not forget to put your initials after the title of your play. PLAUTUS Amphitryo Asinaria Aulularia Bacchides Captivi Casina Cistellaria Curculio Epidicus Menaechmi (The Brothers Menaechmus) Plot: Moschus has twin sons, Menaechmus and Sosicles. Moschus decides to take only one of the twins, Menaechmus, with him on a business trip, while the twins are still young. During the trip, Moschus dies and Menaechmus is adopted by a businessman who lives in Epidamnus, separating the twins. Sosicles, who has been renamed Menaechmus in memory of his long-lost brother, spends many years traveling in search for Manaechmus. Eventually, Sosicles is ready to give up hope and return home; however, prior to returning, he decides to make one last stop at Epidamus. Because of their identical looks and names, the two Menaechmi are often mistaken for each other, causing Sosicles to view the people of Epidamus as rude and peculiar and getting Menaechus into trouble with his wife and friends. At the end of the play, Menaechmus and Sosicles finally meet and realize that they are twins, with much help from Sosicles's slave Messenio. Messenio is then granted freedom for his aid. Observations/ Characters/ Setting: This play is basically what inspired William Shakespeare for his Comedy of Errors. Menaechmus of ''Epidamnus: one of the twins who is seperated from the other.'' ''Menaechmus of Syracuse (Sosicles)''': the other twin; name changed so they could remember the lost brother.' '''Messenio: The loyal slave who helps the 2 brothers recognize eachother.' 'Moschus: Father of the twins who are seperated.' 'The wife of Menaechmus of Epidamnus: the wife, confused Sosicles for her husband.' 'The Cook Cylindrus: Is confused by the twins and mistakes one for another' 'The father-in-law of Menaechmus of Epidamnus: Also mistakes one brother for another.' 'Setting: Epidamnus/ a street in Epidamnus, before the houses of Menaechmus and Erotium' 'QUOTE: Act 5; Line 25' 'L''atin: Di immortales, spem insperatam date mihi quam suspicor.nam nisi me animus fallit, hi sunt gemini germani duo.nam et patriam et patrem conmemorant pariter qui fuerint sibi.'sevocabo erum. Menaechme.' '''''English: Immortal Gods, what unhoped-for hope do you bestow on me, as I suspect. For unless my mind misleads me, these are the two twin-brothers; for they mention alike their native country and their father. I'll call my master aside--Menaechmus. Questions 1: What play is a spin off of this play? a: A Funny Thing Happened b: Comedy of Errors c: My Twin d: Government Inspector 2: Which character help the brothers finally come to their sneses and recognize eachother? a: the wife b: Plautus c: messenio d: Menaechmus 3: In a sentence or two, decribe the setting and what type of comedy it is (english word). ______________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________\ M.G. Mercator Miles Gloriosus Mostellaria Persa Poenulus Pseudolus Rudens Stichus Trinummus Truculentus 'TERENCE' Andria Hecyra Heautontimoroumenos Eunuchus Phormio The story Phormio, also known as the scheming parasite, was written in Rome in about 161 BCE. Nausistrata, the wife of Chremes, is a wealthy woman, possessed of large estates in the island of Lemnos. Chremes meets with a poor woman there, whom he secretly marries, and has by her a daughter called Phanium while he is engaged. By his wife, Nausistrata, at Athens, Chremes has a son, named Phaedria, and his brother has a son, named Antipho. Phanium having now arrived at her fifteenth year, the two brothers privately agree that she shall be brought to Athens and married to Antipho. For this purpose, Chremes goes to Lemnos, while Demipho is obliged to take a journey to Cilicia. On departing, they leave their sons in the care of Geta, one of Demipho's servants. Shortly afterward, Phaedria falls in love with a Music-girl, but, from want of means, is unable to purchase her from her owner. In the mean time, the Lemnian wife of Chremes, urged by poverty, embarks for Athens, whither she arrives with her daughter and her nurse. Here they inquire for Stilpho, but in vain, as they can not find any one of that name. Antipho, seeing Phanium by accident, falls in love with her. Being wishful to marry her, he applies to Phormio, a Parasite, for his advice. The latter hits upon the following scheme: there being a law at Athens, which obliges the next-of-kin to female orphans, either to marry them or give them a portion, the Parasite pretends that he is a friend of Phanium, and insists that Antipho is her nearest relation, and is consequently bound to marry her. Antipho is summoned before a court of justice, and it being previously arranged, allows judgment to be given against himself, and immediately marries Phanium. Shortly after, the old men return upon the same day, and are much vexed, the one on finding that his son has married a woman without a fortune, the other that he has lost the opportunity of getting his daughter advantageously married. In the mean time, Phaedria being necessitated to raise some money to purchase the Music-girl, Geta and Phormio arrange that the former shall pretend to the old man that Phormio has consented to take back the woman whom Antipho has married, if Demipho will give her a portion of thirty mine. Demipho borrows the money of Chremes, and pays it to Phormio, who hands it over to Phaedria, and Phaedria to Dorio, for his mistress. At this conjuncture, it becomes known who Phanium really is, and the old men are delighted to find that Antipho has married the very person they wished. They attempt, however, to get back the thirty minae from Phormio, and proceed to threats and violence. On this, Phormio, who has accidentally learned the intrigue of Chremes with the woman of Lemnos, exposes him, and relates the whole story to his wife, Nausistrata; on which she censures her husband for his bad conduct. English Quotation: Does it seem to you so very improper for your son, a young man, to keep one mistress, while you have two wives? Are you ashamed of nothing? With what face will you censure him? Answer me that. Latin Quotation: Adeone hoc indignum tibi videtur, filius. Homo adolescens si habet unam amicam, tu uxores duas? Nihil pudere! Quo ore illum obiurgabis? responde mihi. Adelphoe